Patentable/Patents/US-9812572
US-9812572

Reacted conductive gate electrodes and methods of making the same

PublishedNovember 7, 2017
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

A semiconductor device and a method for fabricating a semiconductor device involve a semiconductor layer that includes a first material and a second material. The first and second materials can be silicon and germanium. A contact of the device has a portion proximal to the semiconductor layer and a portion distal to the semiconductor layer. The distal portion includes the first material and the second material. A metal layer formed adjacent to the relaxed semiconductor layer and adjacent to the distal portion of the contact is simultaneously reacted with the relaxed semiconductor layer and with the distal portion of the contact to provide metallic contact material.

Patent Claims
20 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.

Claim 1

Original Legal Text

1. A device comprising: a substrate comprising a strained layer over a relaxed layer; and a gate stack over the substrate, the gate stack comprising a gate electrode over a dielectric layer, the gate electrode comprising a first portion comprising a first material and a second portion comprising the first material, a second material, and a metal reacted with the first material and the second material, the first portion being disposed between the second portion and the dielectric layer, a composition of the first material between the first portion and the second portion being graded.

Plain English Translation

A semiconductor device consists of a strained silicon layer placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer. A gate stack sits on top of the strained silicon layer. The gate stack has a gate electrode above a dielectric layer. The gate electrode has two parts: a first part made of silicon and a second part made of silicon, germanium, and a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with the silicon and germanium. The first (silicon only) part is between the second (reacted) part and the dielectric layer. The amount of silicon gradually changes between the first and second parts.

Claim 2

Original Legal Text

2. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the gate electrode is unreacted with the metal.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device as described where a strained silicon layer is placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer and a gate stack sits on top of the strained silicon layer (the gate stack has a gate electrode above a dielectric layer, the gate electrode has two parts: a first part made of silicon and a second part made of silicon, germanium, and a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with the silicon and germanium, the first (silicon only) part is between the second (reacted) part and the dielectric layer, and the amount of silicon gradually changes between the first and second parts) has the first part of the gate electrode made of unreacted silicon only.

Claim 3

Original Legal Text

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising: a first source/drain region and a second source/drain region in the substrate, the strained layer having a strained channel region defined by the gate stack, the strained channel region being disposed between the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device described where a strained silicon layer is placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer and a gate stack sits on top of the strained silicon layer (the gate stack has a gate electrode above a dielectric layer, the gate electrode has two parts: a first part made of silicon and a second part made of silicon, germanium, and a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with the silicon and germanium, the first (silicon only) part is between the second (reacted) part and the dielectric layer, and the amount of silicon gradually changes between the first and second parts) also includes a source region and a drain region in the substrate. The strained layer includes a channel region defined by the gate stack, positioned between the source and drain.

Claim 4

Original Legal Text

4. The device of claim 3 , wherein the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region are disposed at least partially in the strained layer.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device including a strained silicon layer placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, a gate stack sitting on top of the strained silicon layer (the gate stack has a gate electrode above a dielectric layer, the gate electrode has two parts: a first part made of silicon and a second part made of silicon, germanium, and a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with the silicon and germanium, the first (silicon only) part is between the second (reacted) part and the dielectric layer, and the amount of silicon gradually changes between the first and second parts), and a source and drain region within a strained channel region, has the source and drain regions located at least partly inside the strained silicon layer.

Claim 5

Original Legal Text

5. The device of claim 3 , wherein each of the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region comprise a metal reacted with a portion of the strained layer.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device including a strained silicon layer placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, a gate stack sitting on top of the strained silicon layer (the gate stack has a gate electrode above a dielectric layer, the gate electrode has two parts: a first part made of silicon and a second part made of silicon, germanium, and a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with the silicon and germanium, the first (silicon only) part is between the second (reacted) part and the dielectric layer, and the amount of silicon gradually changes between the first and second parts), and a source and drain region within a strained channel region, has each of the source and drain regions made of a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with a portion of the strained layer.

Claim 6

Original Legal Text

6. The device of claim 3 , wherein the strained layer comprises the first material, the relaxed layer comprising the first material and the second material, the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region being disposed in the strained layer and the relaxed layer, each of the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region comprising the metal reacted with the first material in the strained layer and reacted with the first material and the second material in the relaxed layer.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device, having a strained silicon layer placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, a gate stack (comprising a gate electrode over a dielectric layer with a graded silicon composition) on the strained layer, and source/drain regions within a strained channel has the strained layer composed of silicon, while the relaxed layer is silicon-germanium. The source and drain regions are in both layers, containing a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) reacted with the silicon in the strained layer, and with both silicon and germanium in the relaxed layer.

Claim 7

Original Legal Text

7. The device of claim 6 , wherein the strained layer further comprises the second material in a different percentage than the second material in the relaxed layer, each of the first source/drain region and the second source/drain region further comprising the metal reacted with the second material in the strained layer.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device, where a strained silicon layer is over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer and includes source/drain regions containing a metal reacted with the silicon and germanium, has the strained layer also containing germanium but in a different proportion than the relaxed layer. The source and drain regions also include the metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) reacted with the germanium within the strained silicon layer.

Claim 8

Original Legal Text

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the first material is silicon and the second material is germanium.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device where a strained silicon layer is placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer and a gate stack sits on top of the strained silicon layer (the gate stack has a gate electrode above a dielectric layer, the gate electrode has two parts: a first part made of silicon and a second part made of silicon, germanium, and a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with the silicon and germanium, the first (silicon only) part is between the second (reacted) part and the dielectric layer, and the amount of silicon gradually changes between the first and second parts) uses silicon as the first material and germanium as the second material.

Claim 9

Original Legal Text

9. The device of claim 1 , wherein the graded composition of the first material between the first portion and the second portion has a smooth variation.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device where a strained silicon layer is placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer and a gate stack sits on top of the strained silicon layer (the gate stack has a gate electrode above a dielectric layer, the gate electrode has two parts: a first part made of silicon and a second part made of silicon, germanium, and a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with the silicon and germanium, the first (silicon only) part is between the second (reacted) part and the dielectric layer, and the amount of silicon gradually changes between the first and second parts) features a smooth and continuous change in silicon composition between the silicon-only portion and the reacted silicide portion of the gate electrode.

Claim 10

Original Legal Text

10. The device of claim 1 , wherein the graded composition of the first material between the first portion and the second portion has an abrupt variation.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device where a strained silicon layer is placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer and a gate stack sits on top of the strained silicon layer (the gate stack has a gate electrode above a dielectric layer, the gate electrode has two parts: a first part made of silicon and a second part made of silicon, germanium, and a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with the silicon and germanium, the first (silicon only) part is between the second (reacted) part and the dielectric layer, and the amount of silicon gradually changes between the first and second parts) features an abrupt change in silicon composition between the silicon-only portion and the reacted silicide portion of the gate electrode.

Claim 11

Original Legal Text

11. The device of claim 1 , wherein the metal comprises titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, and/or zirconium.

Plain English Translation

The semiconductor device where a strained silicon layer is placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer and a gate stack sits on top of the strained silicon layer (the gate stack has a gate electrode above a dielectric layer, the gate electrode has two parts: a first part made of silicon and a second part made of silicon, germanium, and a metal (like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) that has reacted with the silicon and germanium, the first (silicon only) part is between the second (reacted) part and the dielectric layer, and the amount of silicon gradually changes between the first and second parts) uses a metal chosen from the list of titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium to react with the silicon and germanium to form a conductive silicide.

Claim 12

Original Legal Text

12. A structure comprising: a strained layer over a relaxed layer; a dielectric layer over the strained layer; a first reacted conductive silicide layer in the strained layer and the relaxed layer, the first reacted conductive silicide layer comprising a first material, a second material, and a metal reacted with the first material and the second material; and a gate contact over the dielectric layer, the gate contact comprising a second reacted conductive silicide layer, the second reacted conductive silicide layer comprising the first material, the second material, and the metal reacted with the first material and the second material.

Plain English Translation

A structure consists of a strained silicon layer placed over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer. A dielectric layer sits above the strained silicon layer. A first reacted conductive silicide layer (made of silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium that has reacted with the silicon and germanium) is in both the strained and relaxed layers. A gate contact sits above the dielectric layer and contains a second reacted conductive silicide layer (also made of silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium that has reacted with the silicon and germanium).

Claim 13

Original Legal Text

13. The structure of claim 12 wherein the gate contact comprises an unreacted portion, the unreacted portion comprising the first material and the second material.

Plain English Translation

The structure with a strained silicon layer, a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, a first reacted conductive silicide layer in the strained and relaxed layers (silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium), and a gate contact over the dielectric layer with a second reacted conductive silicide layer (also made of silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) has the gate contact include an unreacted portion made only of silicon and germanium.

Claim 14

Original Legal Text

14. The structure of claim 13 , wherein a composition of the first material between the unreacted portion and the second reacted conductive silicide layer is graded.

Plain English Translation

The structure with a strained silicon layer, a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, a first reacted conductive silicide layer in the strained and relaxed layers (silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium), and a gate contact with an unreacted portion (silicon, germanium) and a second reacted conductive silicide layer (also made of silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) has a gradual change in the amount of silicon between the unreacted portion (silicon, germanium) and the reacted silicide layer of the gate contact.

Claim 15

Original Legal Text

15. The structure of claim 14 , wherein the graded composition of the first material between the unreacted portion and the second reacted conductive silicide layer has an abrupt variation.

Plain English Translation

The structure with a strained silicon layer, a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, a first reacted conductive silicide layer in the strained and relaxed layers (silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium), and a gate contact with an unreacted portion (silicon, germanium) and a second reacted conductive silicide layer (also made of silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) has an abrupt change in the amount of silicon between the unreacted portion (silicon, germanium) and the reacted silicide layer of the gate contact.

Claim 16

Original Legal Text

16. The structure of claim 12 , wherein the first material is silicon and the second material is germanium.

Plain English Translation

The structure that contains a strained silicon layer, a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, a first reacted conductive silicide layer in the strained and relaxed layers (silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium), and a gate contact over the dielectric layer with a second reacted conductive silicide layer (also made of silicon, germanium, and a metal like titanium, cobalt, nickel, platinum, molybdenum, tungsten, or zirconium) uses silicon as the first material and germanium as the second material.

Claim 17

Original Legal Text

17. A structure comprising: a strained layer over a relaxed layer; a gate dielectric layer over a portion of the strained layer, the gate dielectric layer defining a strained channel region in the strained layer; a source contact and a drain contact proximate the strained channel region, each of the source contact and drain contact comprising a reacted conductive silicide layer, the reacted conductive silicide layer comprising portion of the strained layer and a metallic material; and a gate contact over at least a portion of the gate dielectric layer, the gate contact including a reacted conductive silicide portion comprising a semiconductor material and the metallic material.

Plain English Translation

A structure consists of a strained silicon layer over a relaxed silicon-germanium layer. A gate dielectric layer sits on part of the strained silicon, defining a channel region. A source and drain contact are near the channel; both contain a reacted conductive silicide layer (part of the strained layer and a metallic material). A gate contact sits on at least part of the gate dielectric and includes a reacted conductive silicide portion (semiconductor material and the metallic material).

Claim 18

Original Legal Text

18. The structure of claim 17 , wherein the gate contact has a proximal portion proximate the gate dielectric layer and a distal portion distal from the gate dielectric layer, the distal portion having a material composition different from the proximal portion.

Plain English Translation

The structure including a strained silicon layer, a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, source/drain contacts with reacted silicide and a gate contact (reacted silicide) above a gate dielectric defining a channel region, has the gate contact with a proximal portion (close to the gate dielectric) and a distal portion (far from the gate dielectric). The proximal and distal portions have different material compositions.

Claim 19

Original Legal Text

19. The structure of claim 18 , wherein the gate contact is formed with a graded composition from the proximal portion to the distal portion.

Plain English Translation

The structure containing a strained silicon layer, a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, source/drain contacts with reacted silicide and a gate contact (reacted silicide) with proximal and distal portions having different material compositions above a gate dielectric defining a channel region, has the gate contact formed with a gradually changing (graded) composition from the proximal to the distal portion.

Claim 20

Original Legal Text

20. The structure of claim 19 , wherein the composition of the distal portion is the same as a composition of the relaxed layer.

Plain English Translation

The structure containing a strained silicon layer, a relaxed silicon-germanium layer, source/drain contacts with reacted silicide and a gate contact formed with a graded composition (reacted silicide) above a gate dielectric defining a channel region, has the distal portion of the gate contact containing the same material composition as the relaxed silicon-germanium layer.

Classification Codes (CPC)

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

April 25, 2016

Publication Date

November 7, 2017

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